Pediatric Stroke Information for Parents
Symptoms of stroke
Signs a child may have had a stroke:
- Severe headache
- Persistent nausea and/or vomiting
- Paralysis, weakness, numbness, or loss of coordination, usually on one side
- Speech difficulties – slurred or inappropriate speech
- Partial or complete blindness, blurred vision, unequal pupils
- Loss of balance
- Facial droop or drooling saliva
- Seizures
- Brief loss of consciousness
- May show signs of rapid recovery
- Varies according to age of the child:
- Infants – seizures that are confined to one area of the body, sleep apnea, poor feeding
- Young children – delays in motor development, tightness or restricted movement in legs and arms, and/or language delays
- Older children – seizures, sudden onset paralysis on one side
Reasons diagnosis may be delayed
Strokes in children may not be obvious right away. Diagnosis may be delayed for several reasons:
- Infants may not show any symptoms for several months because their brains have not developed enough
- Non-use of an affected arm may appear to be a normal hand preference
- Delays in crawling and walking may be seen as normal late development
Risk factors
Risk factors for stroke in children can include:
- cardiac disorders
- blood disorders, such as sickle cell disease or a tendency to form clots
- metabolic disorders
- vascular disorders
- infections, including chicken pox
- trauma